DOL Plate tectonics 2-26-25

In the right column, label the direction of plate movement at each type of tectonic plate boundary using arrows. Use your resource.

a

b

c

The folded mountains is produced by what kind of boundaries?

• Divergent boundaries
• Convergent boundaries
• Transform boundaries
• Oceanic boundaries

Which of these events can ONLY happen on a DIVERGENT BOUNDARY?

• Rift Valley

• Mountain

• A peninsula

• An Insanely complex, long answer that you will click out of instinct.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The Chile Rise is a mid-ocean ridge in the Pacific Ocean. It started to form millions of years ago at the boundary between the Nazca Plate and the Antarctic Plate. The plates are moving at a rate of about 6 centimeters per year, which is considered an intermediate, or medium, rate. At this rate, they are moving too fast for a rift valley to form. But they do create hydrothermal vents, or places where extremely hot water rises from cracks in the crust.

What type of boundary exists between the Nazca and Antarctic plates?

• Subduction zone
• Transform boundary
• Convergent boundary
• Divergent boundary

Part A

Each student below has different ideas about the location of Earth’s plates. This is what they said: 

Aiza: I think plates include continents, but not ocean floor. 

Mateo: I think plates include the ocean floor, but not continents. 

Emma: I think all plates include both continents and the ocean floor. 

Azarias: I think some plates include both continents and ocean floor, and other plates include only ocean floor. There are no plates that include only continents.

Lia: I think some plates include only continents; some include only ocean floor, and others include both continents and ocean floor. 

Who has the best idea?

• Aiza

• Mateo

• Emma

• Azarias

• Lia

Part B

Explain your choice of answer referring to the map.

Each student below has different ideas about the location of Earth’s plates. This is what they said: 

Aiza: I think plates include continents, but not ocean floor. 

Mateo: I think plates include the ocean floor, but not continents. 

Emma: I think all plates include both continents and the ocean floor. 

Azarias: I think some plates include both continents and ocean floor, and other plates include only ocean floor. There are no plates that include only continents.

Lia: I think some plates include only continents; some include only ocean floor, and others include both continents and ocean floor. 

Answer explanation

I think that Azarias has the best idea. When you look at a map of Earth with the plate boundaries drawn in, you can see that some plates include both a continent (or part of a continent) and an ocean basin, such as the African plate. Other plates include only ocean basin crust, such as the Pacific plate.